CANTON — Superintendent Jill Rossetti is pleased to announce that a Blue Hills Regional Technical School electrical program alumna was recently invited to the White House to partake in President Joe Biden’s Infrastructure Talent Pipeline Challenge.
On Wednesday, Nov. 2, Blue Hills Class of 2018 alumna Abigail Jean-Baptiste and members from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 103 (Boston) participated in President Biden’s Infrastructure Talent Pipeline Challenge at the White House in Washington, D.C.
According to the White House, the Infrastructure Talent Pipeline Challenge is a nationwide call to action for employers, education and training providers, states, local, Tribal, and territorial governments, and philanthropic organizations to make tangible commitments that support equitable workforce development in three critical infrastructure sectors: Broadband, Construction, and “Electrification” (EV Charging Infrastructure and Battery Manufacturing).
At the Pipeline Challenge, Local 103 supported President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. As a result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, over 500,000 electric vehicle (EV) chargers will be installed across the nation. This bill not only strives toward a cleaner environment but also creates more work for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) members.
The IBEW recently implemented an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP), which is a comprehensive training and certification program for installing EV charging equipment, in its apprenticeships. Once training is completed, licensed electricians will be able to install the EV equipment. Currently, IBEW has thousands of workers licensed and ready to go.
At the White House, apprentice Jean-Baptiste was joined by Local 103 apprentice Frank Morales and Greater Boston Joint Apprentice Training Center instructor John DeMello to present the American-made Clipper Creek EV charger and Eaton disconnect. These two pieces of equipment were chosen as the bill mandates the majority of equipment used to be American-made.
“Blue Hills prepared me so much for my professional future by equipping me with the knowledge necessary for me to continue to grow my skills in the Electrical trade,” Jean-Baptiste said. “Additionally, the scholarship I received from Blue Hills and IBEW has guaranteed that I will be accepted into Local 103’s 5-year apprenticeship program which is instrumental for me to continue to learn more and become a master of my craft. Had it not been for these opportunities, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to visit the White House on behalf of IBEW Local 103.”
Added Superintendent Rossetti, “We are so proud of Abigail and all that she has accomplished in her professional career thus far. While Blue Hills equips its students with the necessary tools and knowledge needed to thrive in their chosen careers post-graduation, it truly is up to the student to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them and Abigail did just that. On behalf of her alma mater, I would like to congratulate her on this accomplishment.”
After graduating from Blue Hills Regional, Jean-Baptiste had the chance to work on one of Boston’s largest construction jobs ever, the Boston Encore Casino. It was there that she was first introduced to clean energy by installing a rooftop solar array system.
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